CHEVROLET VOLT MARKETING

As you know, GM and NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) have been working to address post-severe crash battery performance of the Chevrolet Volt. We are pleased to inform you today that General Motors is announcing enhancements to the vehicle structure and battery coolant system in the Chevrolet Volt that would further protect the battery from the possibility of an electrical fire occurring days or weeks after a severe crash.

New information:

1. Enhancements will be made to the vehicle structure and battery coolant system in the Chevrolet Volt that will further protect the battery from the possibility of an electrical fire occurring days or weeks after a severe crash.

Enhancements will:

1. Strengthen an existing portion of the Volt’s vehicle safety structure to further protect the battery pack in a severe side collision.
2. Add a sensor in the reservoir of the battery coolant system to monitor coolant levels.
3. Add a tamper-resistant bracket to the top of the battery coolant reservoir to help prevent potential coolant overfill
4. These enhancements are being incorporated into the Volt manufacturing process as production resumes this month.
5. In February, GM will conduct a Customer Satisfaction Program to perform these enhancements to owners’ vehicles. We will notify customers in February to contact their Chevrolet Participating Volt Dealer to schedule service.
6. We plan to continue to honor requests for loaner vehicles until the enhancements are made to the customer’s vehicle.
7. Now that an enhancement has been developed, the Volt buyback program has concluded.
8. Today customers will receive a personal letter from Mark Reuss by overnight mail and email updating them on this situation.
9. A copy of the customer letter and a Q&A are attached to this message.

CHEVROLET VOLT MARKETING

Dealer & Field Q&A – January 4, 2012
Q & A for Dealers and Field
Q1. How will current Volt owners get their cars fixed? Who can customers call to
get more information? What is the process?
A: Volt owners will be notified by General Motors of the Customer Satisfaction
Program. They can call their Volt Advisor or their dealer for more information.
Customers unaware of their specific Volt Advisors can call 877-4-VOLT-INFO
(877-486-5846) or email: Voltda101@gmexpert.com.
Q2. Will these modifications cost the customer additional money?
A: All modifications will be made without cost to the customer because they are
covered under new vehicle warranty.
Q3. How long will it take before my car is returned?
A: The work could take a day or more depending on a given Chevrolet dealer’s
service department work load.

Q4. Are you still going to buyback Volts now that you have an enhancement
available?
A: A buyback program was put in place for customers who were concerned about
the safety of their vehicle after NHTSA announced its investigation. Now that an
enhancement has been developed, this buyback program has concluded.
Q5. How are we handling customers who have previously requested a buy back?
A: We will work with customers who are requesting a buyback to process their
transactions. Now that the enhancements are available some may wish to
withdraw their repurchase request
Q6. Will customers be able to keep their loaners until the “changes” are made?
A: Yes. Once modifications have been made to a customer-owned Volt, they can
return their loaner car to the dealership and pick up their Volt.
Q7. When will Chevy dealers have the necessary parts to begin the
enhancements?
A: Chevy dealers will have parts available in February. Owners will be individually
notified when modifications are available for their vehicle.
Q8. Why will it take until February before the enhancement can be completed?
A: Parts need to be manufactured, packaged, inventoried, and shipped to the
dealers.
Dealer & Field Q&A – January 4, 2012
Q9. Will the same enhancements be made to new Volts? If so, what is the timing?
A: The enhancements are being incorporated into the Volt manufacturing process
as production resumes this month. (week of Jan. 16)
Q10. What are the changes to the battery pack?
A: There are no changes to the Volt battery pack.
Q11. How will you determine which customers get the enhancements first?
A: We expect to have an ample supply of parts in February. Similar to other
customer satisfaction programs, customers will be notified when parts are
available in their area they can work directly with their dealer to schedule the
service when it is convenient for them.
Q12. What are the changes to the vehicle structure?
A: The vehicle safety structure that protects the battery pack will be reinforced with
additional metal structure integrated into the underbody to help prevent intrusions
into the pack in a severe side collision. These modifications will be made on Volts
in the field at Chevrolet dealerships; and,
when production resumes at Detroit Hamtramck, we’re integrating similar
structural enhancements into the body to help prevent similar intrusions.
Q13. What are the enhancements to the battery cooling system?
A: We will install a sensor to the battery cooling reservoir bottle to monitor coolant
levels. If the coolant falls below the recommended level, the customer will be
alerted to have the battery system serviced.
We will also add a tamper-resistant bracket to the top of the battery coolant
reservoir to help prevent coolant overfills.
Q14. Do these changes make the Volt safer during a crash?
A: The Volt is already a safe vehicle. (Reference IIHS Top Safety Pick)
These added enhancements are designed to make the Volt even safer
several days after a severe side crash and provide our customers peace of
mind
Q15. Is the cell chemistry part of the issue?
A: Cell chemistry is not part of the issue.
Q16. Why were the issues that led to the NHTSA investigation missed during
testing?
A: They were not "missed.” By thoroughly inspecting all the components and
systems after all our crash testing, we never experienced one of our crash
vehicles sitting for weeks, fully powered and with a coolant leak. 

This condition does not pose any safety risk to a driver or occupant. We tested
the Volt’s battery system for more than 285,000 hours, or 25 years of operation
before it was on sale.
Dealer & Field Q&A – January 4, 2012
Q17. Do you regret using a liquid cooling system?
A: No, we choose liquid cooling because of the benefits it provides for overall
battery life and as the best option for battery management in the Volt.
It’s the reason we’re able to provide our customers with an eight-year or 100,000
mile warranty, which has become the industry standard for battery warranties.

Q18. Why did GM stay quiet for so many months after the initial fire in
Wisconsin?
A: We did not and still don’t consider this test issue an unsafe situation for current
Volt owners. We have not stayed quiet about this but instead have been in
regular dialogue with the NHTSA since we were informed about the June 6
incident. We are taking the actions we are announcing today to safe guard the
peace of mind of our customers.
Q19. What is the difference between a Customer Satisfaction Program and a
Recall? They seem to do the same thing.
A: There is a difference between a Customer Satisfaction Program and a Safety
Recall. In a Customer Satisfaction Program, an automaker makes the decision
on its own to provide a remedy for a non-safety related defect. A CSP can have a
defined time that repairs will be done for a customer. A Safety or Non-compliance
recall, by contrast, remains open and has more formal requirements, such as
notifying the NHTSA within five days of a company decision to conduct a recall
and prohibiting the sale of a vehicle until the defect is remedied. NHTSA also
posts the safety defect notice on its website and monitors completion rates.
Q20. What about Volt vehicles in dealer inventory. Are they OK to sell / purchase?
A: Yes they are. As we have stated, the Volt is a safe vehicle. The enhancements
being made to the Volt are to ensure customer peace of mind. A customer can
take delivery of their Volt and start enjoying it. Once the parts are available, the
customer will be notified to schedule a service appointment to make the
enhancements at their dealership.